Gangs and gangsta rap in Chicago: A microscenes perspective

A microscene is a distinct component of a music scene, located in a delimited space of mutual social activity—where certain clusters of scene members assemble and generate socio-cultural cohesion through collective ideologies, attitudes, preferences, practices, customs, and memories that distinguish them from the larger scene. This article explores the relationship between active gang members and the gangsta-rap microscene in Chicago, Illinois. While gangs and gangsta rappers have been considered separately, this research examines cultural practices at the intersection of these groups. The participants of this study—gang members who rap—utilize gang affiliation as a resource, employing it strategically to advance their music careers. The relationship is symbiotic: The rappers use gang membership to generate revenue, promote and market their music, recruit band members, and provide security at live concerts. The gangs rely on the rappers as a source of income, for promotion and marketing, as recruitment tools, and as a means by which to wage rivalries and settle disputes. The article examines the physical, social, and economic ramifications for those at the intersection of street gangs and gangsta rap, and it offers an account of risk-management strategies designed to moderate potential violence, career limitations, and other challenges.

► Considers relationship between gangs and gangsta rap in a local, urban music scene.
► Offers a new “microscenes perspective” for precise understanding of local scenes.
► Finds symbiotic relationship between street gangs and local rap-music scenes.
► Finds musicians face difficulties arising from overlap between gangs and gangsta-rap.
► Rappers who are members of street gangs develop various risk-management strategies.